Dark Beginnings
by SophisticatedFiend
Summary: Dark 20's theme where Korra meets her friends under different circumstances, and her act is just that, an act. "Thug Life" AU where Korra and Asami are strippers and the brothers help them along. *Please leave reviews and help me along with this. I hope you enjoy! (: *
1. Chapter 1

"Yo, Korra!" Mako called from behind the Avatar, causing her to spin around with a big smile on her face. Mako was her best friend, the guy that was always there for her, which with her schedule was every other night. "That was a fantastic show, you lovely girl."

"Thank you, Mako, I try," She fastened her robe over her costume as she grinned at the man. He was her best tipper as well as her best friend, tossing hundreds of dollars onto the stage each night she performed. She often wondered how he could afford such hefty tips, but she figured she'd keep her questions to herself. Not everyone was so keen on sharing financial information.

"There's someone I want you to meet, baby doll," Mako took his hat from his head and pressed it to his chest as he sidestepped to reveal a handsome man. "My baby brother, Bolin."

"Bolin," Korra purred the name as she gave him the once over. He was shorter than Mako, though not by much, and was bulkier. Obviously an earthbender, she decided. "I'm Korra, the Avatar."

She held out his hand, and when he took it, he pressed his lips to the smooth back.

"My pleasure," He smiled widely as he stood, and Korra felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Mako, where have you been hiding him?" She asked breathily. The fire bender laughed at her tone, the sound filling the backstage dressing room. Other dancers looked up from applying makeup to glare and the rambunctious group.

"Bolin here is a mover star, Korra," Mako answered. "He's usually out of town, and he just happened to be here on the night you perform."

"I'm very glad I was, too," Bolin winked at her. "You're an exquisite dancer, Korra."

"Well, thank you," She smiled. She didn't like to boast, but she was only second best to Asami, who had been in this business long before Korra even thought of it.

"Korra, dear, why haven't you changed, we were supposed to go out for drinks," The feminine voice snapped Korra from her trance that was inspired by the earthbender's face.

"Sorry, 'Sami. Mako here brought his baby brother in for my show," Korra said as the woman walked up. Her raven hair was pinned from her face in curls, exposing a dainty jaw line and smooth, milky white neck. Though she spent most of her time on stage half naked, her blouse had the first three buttons open, a black lace brassier teasing from underneath.

"I am Asami, the head dancer here," The girl held out her hand, which Bolin shook firmly.

"Name's Bolin," He smiled slightly.

"Would you like to join us for drinks?" Asami asked the brothers. Mako stepped right up to the offer, like a starving dog to food.

"You know me, 'Sami, I'll always follow you," He grasped her hand to spin her around into a dip. He kissed her then, a kiss the woman gladly returned. When she was returned to her upright position, there was a visible blush on her face.

"Mako, not here," She tapped his arm lightly in a playful manner, then turned to Korra. "Korra, go change for spirit's sake, we don't have all night."

"Of course," Korra gathered her duffel and ruched to the dressing room. Slipping back into her day clothes made her a bit uncomfortable, as there was a very eligible, very handsome man out there that she was hoping to seduce. Frankly, she felt her plain-Jane dress wouldn't do the job. Luckily, Asami already knew that Bolin had been coming, and slipped a few choice pieces into Korra's duffel. The blouse and skirt waiting there fit Korra's physique perfectly, accenting her already full hips by cinching her waist with a belt. Wiping the stage makeup from her face, her natural beauty shone back at her. Korra felt confident in her skin, and had a feeling that she wouldn't be going home along tonight.

"Are you ready now?" Asami asked, giving her a once over and nodding subtly. Korra nodded.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. She loosed her hair from its ties and shook it out. She decided this had an effect on Bolin, as she heard a sharp intake of air from his direction. "We all ready to go?"

"Indeed, we are," Bolin smiled and held out his arm. Korra gladly took it, and they ventured out the back door to the bar down the street.

The night was brisk, and Korra being Korra forgot to bring her jacket from home. It was the time of year where it was still hot during the day, but as soon as Yue rose in the sky the night became frosty. Lacking foresight, Korra always managed to forget her coat. She silently promised to start bringing a sweater from home. The city was making her soft.

"Are you cold?" Bolin's voice in her ear made her jump nearly out of her own skin. She looked up at him to find a smirk. She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. I am from the Southern Water Tribe, you know," she told him.

"Oh, are you?" He snickered. Korra decided that this man was goofier than he let on, relevant in the fact that his eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"Of course, can't you tell?" She pressed on. "My costume is always water tribe based," she saw him swallow.

"I did notice," He replied. He took his coat off and draped it over her shoulders. "Doesn't change the fact that you're cold."

Korra laughed at this.

"You're right, it doesn't," She looked behind them to find Asami and Mako smiling. She shot them a secret thumbs up with a grin. As the group reached the bar, Bolin held the door. As Korra walked past him he began speaking.

"You know, in my first film, I was from the Southern Water Tribe. My character was named Nuktuk," He told her. She waited on the inside until the other couple had passed before resuming the conversation.

"I think I saw that one. You look much different now," She replied. She remembers the main character had looked like a child, no older than sixteen. The man beside sported a short beard, styled in the latest Earth Kingdom style. His lime eyes seemed to scream " _ **EXPERIENCED!**_ " and she was quite okay with getting lost in them.

"I do?" He asked, surprised. "I suppose the beard does change a lot.."

"You're very handsome, so don't get self-conscious on me," She teased. His eyes twinkled again.

"You're being nice to my baby brother, right, Korra?" Mako asked as they say in a booth. As a waiter came around he ordered a round of Fire Whiskey.

"Of course I am, Mako. He is your baby brother," Korra replied smugly. Her attitude shifted then, and she was hell-bent on getting the earthbender in her bed.

"I never got a chance to ask, Korra," Bolin interrupted. "How did you become a dancer?"

The group fell quiet. It wasn't a story Korra was particularly proud of, but she supposed it was a part of herself. She took a deep breath.

"I used to be a prostitute, to be completely honest. Back when I first came to Republic City, I had nowhere to go, and a man, who I now wish I had never met, took me under his wing," She began. Asami motioned for her to stop, but Korra pressed on. "He gave me food and shelter, and all he asked for in return was a fuck every now and again. It was simple, really, but then things got weird. He would have his friends over, and he'd make me sleep with them. Greasy guys with deep pockets. He told me that if I didn't, I'd have to find another place to stay, and I wonder now why I hadn't already left. It got worse, and I turned to drugs to numb the emotions. Of course, he provided them, enabled me, so I would stay with him…"

She steadied herself with another breath.

"I ended up pregnant," She whispered the words. "His kid, I already knew that, since he was the only one that never really worried about protection. He denied everything, but I cleaned myself up and really tried to take care of myself so my kid would live a good life…

"When I started showing, he couldn't use me for profit anymore, and promptly kicked me out. That was almost a year since I had gotten to the city, and I was homeless once again. I remember sitting in the alley next to his apartment, crying. It was pouring that night. That's where Mako found me."

Mako reached over and took her hand reassuringly. She smiled gratefully at him as she wiped her tears away.

"He cleaned me up, took me in, kept me fed, and when my baby was born, he tried his best to help me through the grief."

Asami tried to hide the sparkling on her cheeks. Bolin watched Korra's face, the anguish there made his heart ache.

"My son was stillborn, and even though I only knew him for a few brief minutes, he's the love of my life," Korra threw back her drink.

"What was his name?" Bolin asked.

"Nooruk," She replied. "After I recovered from the complications of bringing him into the world dead, I looked for any work I could find. The club took me in, and even though I still had the baby fat on my belly, the patrons welcomed me. That was almost six years ago, and I've been there ever since."

"Why didn't anyone meet you when you got here?" Bolin wondered aloud.

"There wasn't anyone to meet me in the first place," Korra answered. "I'm already a fully realized avatar, had been the day I set foot in the city limits, but I didn't know what I was doing, and I got lost."

"That's really upsetting," He replies. He stretches, his arm falling in place behind her as he relaxes. Korra admits to herself that the rough thumb running over her shoulder was comforting.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up the next morning with another person in her bed was strange to Korra. She tried to remember the night before, but her head throbbed from the after effects of too much alcohol. The man next to her seemed familiar, but she couldn't put a finger on hos name.

"Mmm, good morning," He turned to face her, and suddenly everything was very clear. This person was Bolin, and he was Mako's brother. Korra smiled at him.

"Morning," She replied before getting out of bed. She was glad to remember that they hadn't done anything, even though that was her primary goal of the night before. That goal had quickly disintegrated as soon as she brought up her late son. It's been five years since his birth, and death, and sometimes she wondered what her life had been like if he had lived. He probably would have just now started showing his bending; no doubt water, and she would be enrolling him for classes at the nearby elementary school.

Instead Korra found herself splashing her face with cold water in her dingy bathroom, trying to hold back the nausea from the night before. She didn't have a show tonight, so she knew she'd have to find something else to do.

The smell of bacon wafted into her bedroom as she changed clothes, and she followed it to the kitchen. Mako stood in front of the stove in his cotton nightclothes, flipping pancakes. Asami sat at the table with her glasses perched on the end of her nose as she flipped through the morning paper.

"What's for breakfast?" Bolin asked from the door way behind Korra, his voice loud and booming, causing her to jump. He snickered when she turned to glare at him.

"Pancakes, bro," Mako responded without looking up. Korra settled at the table next to Asami.

"Could I have the sports section please?" Korra asked. Asami had already laid it out, and slid it across the space. "Thanks."

"No problem," Asami shot her a sweet smile. This was a daily occurrence for three of them, and it felt comfortable.

"You like sports?" Bolin asked as he plopped into the chair next to her. Korra realized that the somewhat refined gentleman from the night before was gone, and in his wake was a goofy guy with a cute smile.

"Yeah," Korra replied, trying to not flinch at his loud voice. "I like to follow the Pro-Bending. My favorite team is the Wolfbats, but they're having it pretty rough this year."

"Tell me about it, they lost the match last night," Asami spoke up. "Looks like they're trying to do things straight since Tahno left the team."

"The Tigerdillos beat them?" Mako asked. He set a plate piled with bacon and pancakes down in the middle of the table, then sat on the other side of Asami.

"Apparently, they didn't even need to go into the third round," Korra replied. A picture of the defeated Wolfbats looking dejected as they left the Arena accompanied the story she was reading. "What a bummer. I really thought with Tahno gone, they'd get it together."

"Guess not." Asami stated. The girls then put down the papers and joined the boys in eating. Bolin seemed to eat a lot, Korra noticed. She only managed to eat one pancake and a couple slices of bacon before she had to excuse herself. Her appetite wasn't what it had been when she was a teenager, and especially wasn't great after Nooruk.

"I've got a healing session today, then I'm hitting the spa," Asami directed towards Korra. "Would you like to come with me?"

"That would be nice, but I have therapy today," Korra replied. Bolin raised an eyebrow, but didn't question. She had been attending therapy since Mako took her in.

"Okay, maybe next time," Asami said. Korra nodded, with a smile on her face.

"Well, I'm off to work," Mako stood from the table. "Does anyone need anything before I go?"

"No, honey, I think we're fine," Asami answered. Korra nodded again, while Bolin agreed. Mako nodded and went off in the direction of his bedroom to get dressed. On his way back out he kissed Asami goodbye. Korra tried not to be envious of the relationship, but it was hard when she could have had that.

"What are you doing today?" She asked Bolin. He shrugged.

"I don't really have anything _to_ do," he replied. Korra mulled this over.

"Well, you could come with m on my errands today, if you want," She offered. His face lit up with happiness.

"I'd really like that, Korra."

Not much later Korra found herself walking down the street with Bolin at her side. He was energetic and wanted to see everything around. She found it to be a little stressful.

"Didn't you grow up here?" Korra asked after his jumping around finally got to her.

"Well, yeah, but I haven't been back to the city in years," He answered. "It feels like everything changed."

Korra admitted to herself that thing had changed quite a bit in the recent years. Gang activity was at an all time low, as the police force cracked down, and more shops were opening when it became easier to get past the Triads. She knew the underground was still vast, but she didn't like to dwell on the situations she lft behind.

"You okay?" Bolin asked. Korra realized that she stopped to stare at the display of a pricey clothing store while she thought.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She smiled up at him. "I really like that dress."

She pointed to a dress that hugged the figure in the window. Floor length, navy blue, with sheer long sleeves that draped off the shoulders.

"Well, come on, I'll buy it for you," He said. Korra blinked at him in shock, but didn't protest as he took her hand and pulled her through the door. As the dress was fitted to her body he stood to the side to watch. When the alterations were done, he nodded his approval with a twinkle in his eye. Korra found herself faced again by the dashing young man she met the night before.

"I don't even know where I'd wear this to," She told him. He just smiled.

"To dinner tonight, with me," He replied. Paying for the dress was fast, and Korra found the shopping bag in her hand before she could decline the offer.

"Bolin, thank you, but you didn't have to," She blushed.

"I wanted to," He took her hand as they continued down the street. The rest of the morning went quickly as Korra found more and more shopping bags placed in her hands. He paid for lunch, despite her protests. She made good money, but she had never been spoiled like this before. He walked her to her therapist's office with the promise that he would be there when she got out.

"Hello, Korra," Tenzin greeted her and ushered her into his office. "How are you doing today?"

"It's been an eventful day, that's for sure," She replied. She sat in the overstuffed velvet chair next to the window, as she usually does. The airbender settled into the armchair across from her.

"Does that have anything to do with the boy out there?" He asked. She nodded, a smile on her lips. "What's his name?"

"Bolin, he's my roommate's younger brother," She told him. She liked being in his office. The windows next to her were floor to ceiling, allowing the most light to come in. His office was on the seventeenth floor of the high-rise building, and she could see Air Temple Island in the bay from there. He had been able to come to the South Pole in order to train her, and he hadn't known she was even in the city until his mother called him two weeks after her arrival. By then she was deep into the underground, and she didn't resurface until a year later. It was then that she began therapy with him in hopes of working through the grief she felt. "He knows everything."

"I see. How does that make you feel?"

Korra usually had a hard time with this question; usually had to search hard for an answer, but it came easily this time.

"Good. It makes me feel really good, Tenzin," She smiled, knowing it was the truth and she wasn't hiding anything from him. He seemed a bit surprised at her answer.

"You've only been this happy about meeting two other people in your present life, Korra. Mako and Asami," He told her. She nodded, aware that it was an odd reaction.

"I connect really well with him, and he's nice to me," She said. "I don't feel like I need to hide anything from him."

"That's good. Where do you see this relationship going?"

"I'm going to be completely honest, Tenzin. When I met him last night, I only wanted to get laid. But he asked me how I ended up in my field of work, and I told him. After that I didn't really feel like having sex anymore, but he didn't run away. He knows all my baggage, and he's still willing to carry it. Maybe we'll end up dating, sure, but maybe not. That's okay. I'd be okay with just being his friend."

"I'm glad to hear that, Korra," Tenzin nodded. "You've come so far since the first time you came to me, and I can't express how proud I am of you."

"Thank you, Tenzin, I really appreciate that," Korra stood from her seat when he did. Instead of the usual handshake that ended their visits, the older man pulled her in for a hug.

"I don't think you need to come back, Korra. But don't be a stranger my kids love you. Rohan has grown up quite a bit, and I know he's the same age as your Nooruk would be, but please consider visiting soon," Tenzin held her at arms length, his grey eyes searching her face. She just smiled.

"Of course. I'll come by soon," She said. She really meant that too, and didn't intend of going back on her word. She left the office to rejoin Bolin. He looked up from the paper he was reading to beam at her.

"Ready to go?" He asked. She nodded, and took his arm. She turned to wave at Tenzin as she left. When Bolin and Korra returned to the apartment, no one was home. "Asami must still be at the spa."

"Must be," Korra agreed. She went about hanging up the new clothes Bolin bought her in her closet. Bolin stood in the doorway of her bedroom, watching her.

"Korra, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, what's shaking?"

"Why didn't you try to sleep with me last night?" He asked. She smoothed the last piece of clothing on its hanger before turning to him.

"I wanted to," She said. He nodded. "But, after talking about my son and those memories, it was hard to not just feel depressed."

"I understand. Mako and I lost our parents when we were young to the Triads, and for a really long time, while we were living on the streets, I didn't like talking about it either," He approached her. As his hand slid around her waist, butterflies began to flutter in her stomach. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Can I kiss you?"

All she could do was nod, and his lips came down over hers. She tilted her head back to accommodate for his height, and let him lead. It was a real kiss. His lips were full and soft against hers, his beard tickling her chin. When his tongue prodded against her closed mouth, she wasted no time opening it. The kiss was deep, and passionate, and comforting, and she found herself drowning in the warmth of his arms.

"A-hem!" The feminine throat clearing came from the doorway. Bolin and Korra broke apart to find Asami standing there. "Hi, guys."

"Hey, 'Sami," Korra grinned.

"If you're going to hump each other like wild rabaroos, please make sure you close the door in the future," The other girl huffed. "Even Mako and I try to keep it on the down low."

"Sorry. You weren't home when we got here so we thought it would be a bit," Bolin said. "Thank you for making your presence known though."

"Any time. Korra, Mako and I have a date tonight, so don't worry about making us any dinner," Asami smiled. Korra had forgotten that it was her night to cook.

"Actually, I also have a date, so I wasn't planning on cooking anyways," Korra replied. She found the whole situation funny, and easily admitted to her mistake. "I hope you two have a nice night."

"Thank you," Asami smiled again before she continued down the hallway to her and Mako's room. After they heard the door close, Bolin turned back to Korra, his arms once again snaking around her waist.

"So, where were we?" He growled low in her ear, causing a blush to creep up her chest.

"I think we were just going to close the door," She said, breaking free from his grasp to slide the paper door shut and lock it. When she turned around, Bolin eyes had gone dark with something. She felt his hand on her shoulders as he pressed her against the wall. His lips found hers again, more urgent this time, and she reached up to hold his face between her hands, his beard rough against her fingers.

"Korra…" His growls awakened something deep in her belly, something she wasn't used to. His hands roamed from her shoulders down the front of her blouse to her hips. "I want you…"

She pulled away then, looking up at this man she met the night before. He was sweet, and didn't push her any farther than she was comfortable with. With her hands on his shoulders, she reached up to kiss him again briefly.

"Tonight," She said. At least that way if all he wanted to do was fuck her, she'd at least get a nice dinner out of it. He nodded, then kissed her again.

 **A/N:** **Woot, I'm slowing down now, and I'm going to be introducing our antagonist soon. Reviews let me know how you enjoy it, and how I can improve, so please don't be shy about leaving them. Thank you for reading! 3**


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